Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" ultimately won 6 awards including Best Director and Best Picture, making her the first female director to win this award.
The Oscars are 82 years old, an age which for people would be considered elderly. But as a grand cinematic gala, it remains evergreen, still being the ultimate dream for countless filmmakers. However, with only one ceremony per year, the awards remain fixed while the films flow through. So many years have passed that there is inevitably a sense of procedural rigidity. The Oscars, over these many years, have had the same principles: aside from rewarding excellent films, they also reflect the mainstream cultural values of American society, so-called social concerns that reflect humanity.
Although universally beloved George Clooney delivered an exceptionally outstanding natural performance in "Up in the Air," he still had to concede defeat. While both films delve into the deep inner struggles of their characters, the cold and lonely life depicted in "Up in the Air" simply cannot compare to the positive upward spirit of the urban singer in "Crazy Heart," who finds his true self even after fading from fame. Therefore, Jeff Bridges' win was truly what everyone had hoped for.
Streep's acting is remarkable, effortlessly portraying heartwarming pieces like "Julie & Julia."
Pixar's "Up" lived up to expectations by winning big. Although "Up" may not be Pixar's best work, Pixar's influence on the animation industry cannot be overlooked. Due to Pixar's efforts in producing an excellent animated feature film every year, the influence of animated feature films has gradually increased in the industry. Thus, this year's Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature Film were increased from three to five. All nominated films, such as "Coraline," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," and "The Princess and the Frog," are top-tier works in animation.
Clooney falls short against a 60-year-old model worker.
Sandra Bullock is a prime example of a comeback. Her acting career has had its ups and downs, with varying quality in the films she has participated in. Last year, her new movie "The Blind Side" grossed $200 million, and she ultimately won her first golden statue for her role in this film. It wasn't necessarily because the character was depicted with great accuracy or portrayed in a deeply moving way; rather, America's mainstream ideology still believes in the idea that hard work will pay off and dreams bring hope. Thus, giving this hardworking sister a golden statue as a reward creates a new American Dream.
Although this year the Oscars expanded the Best Picture nominations from five slots to ten, creating a scene of flourishing diversity, in reality, everyone knows that most of the nominations are just green leaves.
Currently, Hollywood and the Oscars perhaps attract audiences by creating topics, relying on the gossip about Hollywood stars to stir interest. Last year, the romance between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt was hyped up extensively, and this year there is the big showdown between Kathryn Bigelow and her ex-husband James Cameron.
In recent years, the Oscars have lacked noteworthy achievements, with the U.S. film industry suffering significant damage from the financial crisis and union strikes. It's already hard to see intense competition between two films, nor any dark horse emerging to surprise everyone.
This year's Oscar for Best Actress saw the only relatively intense competition. One was Meryl Streep, and the other was Sandra Bullock.
Thus, the Oscars are becoming increasingly less attractive, with the ratings for the award ceremonies losing their former glory. The only visually appealing aspect now is the glamorous appearance of male and female stars on the red carpet before the awards. However, with more and more fashionable ladies appearing, this appetizer before the feast has evolved into a fashion show, turning into a tactical battle among tabloid girls for media coverage, moving further and further away from the movies themselves.
This year's Best Actor went to Jeff Bridges, who had a string of successes during the award season. This 60-year-old man has starred in many films, delivering various roles with dedication and professionalism, truly deserving the title of a Hollywood model worker. In the movie "Crazy Heart," which tells the story of a country singer, he vividly portrays the weathered inner world of the faded country singer Tom, leading him to ultimately clinch the championship.
Unlike the slightly dull live-action films, this year's Oscars were most exciting in the competition for Best Animated Feature Film.
Increase in nominations adds more supporting elements.
With numerous excellent animated films, this category was highly anticipated.